Turnbuckle attachment for trusses



Jan. 2 3, 1951 Filed Oct. 31, 1949 J E illlbaivz INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 23, 1951 TURNBUCKLE ATTACHMENT FOR TRUSSES John H. Wellborn, Starkville, Miss.

Application October 31, 1949, Serial No. 124,523

1 Claim.

This invention relates to truss construction, and aims to provide novel means for adjusting the truss to properly fit the body of the wearer, the adjusting device being used in place of the usual elastic webbing commonly employed for connecting the pads at the rear of the truss, thereby providing an adjusting means which may be operated to insure a true fitting at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for making an exceptionally fine adjustment of the truss, after the truss has been positioned and the straps drawn to hold the truss in position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a truss having adjustable pads which may be readily and easily arranged to the proper position with respect to the supporting strap of the truss, means being provided for holding the pad in its adjusted position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from'the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a truss constructed in accordance with the invention, and equipped with a turn-buckle adjusting means.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view through one of the rear pads of a truss, illustrating the construction of the turn-buckle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the truss comprises the belt or strap 5, which is provided with a buckle 6 at one end thereof, through which the end I of the belt passes and by means of which the belt is tightened around the body of the wearer of the truss.

The reference character 8 indicates the rear pads of the truss, which" are connected by means of the turn-buckle, indicated generally by the reference character 9. Each of these pads comprises a steel plate [0, to which an end of the belt is secured, the steel plate being of a length to extend beyond the end of the rear pad where it is connected with the threaded shank l at one end of a turn-buckle assembly. Mounted on opposite sides of the steel plate I0, is padding ma terial l2, which is covered by the leather covering 13. It will, of course, be understood that the rear'pads 8 are constructed identically and the three. edv shank. I4 which extends from the opposite rear pad, cooperates with a threaded bore formed in one end of the turn-buckle 9 to move the rear pads 8, towards or away from each other.

The turn-buckle 9 is of a construction, to provide flat surfaces l5 that permit of ready operation of the turn-buckle to tighten or loosen the belt after the belt has been secured in position by the buckle 6.

It will further be seen that because of the construction of the turn-buckle, the turn-buckle will be held spaced from the back of the wearer of the truss, and will not contact the back of the wearer to cause discomfort.

The reference character I6 indicates a truss pad which is provided with a band or loop ll through which a belt or stra 5 extends. This loop or strap I1 is provided with extensions 18 that extend laterally from the sides thereof, the extensions 18 providing fingers for contact with the belt. The ends of the extensions or fingers l8 are pointed and extend towards the back of the pad IE, to pierce the belt and hold the pad in its positions of adjustment on the belt.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, I have provided a truss wherein an adjustment of the belt may be made to support the truss, and that when an exceptionally fine adjustment is required for the application of pressure, the turnbuckle may be operated to draw the belt into close engagement with the body of the wearer.

In the showing, it will be noted that the turnbuckle has been operated so that in making an adjustment of the turn-buckle, it will be operated to move the turn-buckle away from the ends of the rear pads 8, prior to the positioning of the belt around the body of the wearer, so that ample lengths of threaded shanks will be provided to permit the rotation of the turn-buckle to draw the "shanks towards each other to provide for the proper adjustments.

It will also be seen that the turn-buckle as provided, takes the placeof the usual elastic strip commonly employed in connecting the rear pads of a truss, and which elastic strip limits its resiliency and effectiveness as a support, due to heat. and perspiration of the body, thereby providing af truss which may be worn considerably longer and with a larger range of adjustment, than is possible with the usual truss structure.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

padding material surrounding the plate forming a truss pad, leather covering on the pad, a threaded shank extending from the free end of each steel plate, the threaded shanks of adjacent truss pads being axially aligned, and a turnbuckle operating over the threaded shanks, said turn-buckle being adapted to move the truss pads towards and away from each other.

JOHN H3 WELLBORN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 4 UNITED STATES PATENTS- Name Date Bell Apr. 8, 1890 Mason July 6, 1943 McCord Jan. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 

